James Main/ Margaret Burton

[jimmain]

They were both born in Scotland and married 1840, Glasgow. It appears that they emigrated to the United States shortly after their marriage, as their two sons, Herschel and Nichol were both born in Illinois.
I believe that the parents of James were Thomas Main/ Janet Forsyth, but have not been able to prove this definitively. James died 23Nov 1894, District of Columbia, Washington.
I would appreciate hearing from anyone who can confirm the parents of James.

[*Sandra*]

You probably have this - FIND A GRAVE

James Burton Born 1812 Airdrie Scotland and Margaret Burton born 1812 Falkland Scotland.

Possibility for Margaret Baptism - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XTNQ-87Z

Possibility for James Baptism - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XTF5-RQK

http://www.rootschat.com/links/0x26/

Death confirms born Airdrie - https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/F7B4-RL1 

Sandra

[jimmain]

James Main was born in 1812, Airdrie, New Monkland, Scotland. He married Margaret Burton, 1840, Glasgow, then emigrated to the United States. He had two sons, Herschel, born 1845 (married Charlotte Bradbury 1876), and Nichol, born 1848 (married Florence Mount 1875). James spent most of his life in Washington DC and died in 1894. I have been trying to find his parents. I think they are Thomas Main/ Janet Forsyth, but have not been able prove this definitively. I would appreciate hearing from anyone that might know of this family.
Jim Main

Topics on same person merged ~moderator

[lg114]

I stumbled upon this chat after reading through my family history in Australia.

My Dad’s family ancestors arrived in Australia from Airdrie, Scotland. They were Archibald and Beatrice Chalmers. Beatrice’s maiden name was Main, I believe to be the younger sibling of James Main mentioned here, whose parents were Jessie Forsyth Main and Thomas Main. The three youngest Main siblings, Beatrice, Isabella and David all emigrated to Australia. 

Thomas Main was a blacksmith in Airdrie.The book I have mentions a son, James,  who always had his head in a book and emigrated to USA to follow his passion of astronomy. Apparently he named his sons for the planets, which would perhaps explain the names of Herschel and Nichol?

I have been trying to find out more about James and his career, as it seems the Forsyth/Main family were very interesting people, ahead of their time.

One of my children is very interested in science, with a passion for space….so I found it fascinating to see someone so far back in our family tree with the same interests. I have been trying to find out if James did indeed have a career in Astronomy. I am hoping that this is the same person (there can’t have been two James Mains from Airdrie that moved to America in that time period, surely?)

[oldohiohome]

Navy Gazette

Prof. James Main, 84 years old ... d November 23 in Washington
one time professor of mathematics in the Edinburgh University
later sent to Cape Town to conduct important astronomical observations
Came to US many years ago. has been employed in the Coast and Geodetic Survey for years.
leaves two sons, one of which is Chief Engineer Herschel Main, U.S. Navy

https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_United_States_Army_and_Navy_Journal/fPw-AQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=herschel
issue of December 1, 1894

there are a lot of hits for "herschel main" engineer washington dc
https://oceannavigator.com/a-most-impressive-sextant-2/

brief listing
http://genealogytrails.com/washdc/obituaries/obitpage1.html

findagrave
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/58944305/herschel-main

and others for "herschel main" mathematician 1880 washington dc
use the quotes

for "james main" mathematician 1880 washington dc
"Herschell Main’s father, James Main, regarded as one of the finest mathematicians in the country at the time,"
https://www.washingtonchronicles.com/2021/01/alice-roosevelt-longworth.html


"Herschell Main’s father, James Main, regarded as one of the finest mathematicians in the country at the time,"
https://www.washingtonchronicles.com/2021/01/alice-roosevelt-longworth.html


lots for "james main" coast and geodetic survey
including:
https://library.oarcloud.noaa.gov/docs.lib/htdocs/rescue/cgs/002_pdf/CSC-0079.PDF

https://archive.org/stream/jstor-1967384/1967384_djvu.txt

from scholar.google.com:
I don't know if this refers to him or not. this is just a quote from the hit on google. the book itself is recent and not online. It could be talking about another man named James, but I saw Coast and Geodetic Survey so I am posting it.
Mind ecologies: Body, brain, and world, by M Crippen, J Schulkin - 2020 - degruyter.com
""The United States Coast and Geodetic Survey employed him for over thirty years. During this
 ... James maintained that without temporally- oriented cognitive tools, “we should live simply ‘

https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.7312/crip19024/html

[oldohiohome]

couldn't attach this to the last post because the form thought I had already sent it. I had to edit the post after attaching, but before posting. Maybe the first version is somewhere in the rootschat stratosphere somewhere. anyway I renamed it and will try again.

[oldohiohome]

Just from looking at his censuses, Nichol Main was not in the sciences. Chief supervisor of cooks in 1880, superintendent at P.P.C. Co in 1900, railroad superintendent in 1910. I don't know what P.P.C was.

edited to add:
it was the Pullman Palace Car Company.


----------------
there are a couple of obits for James in the Washington papers in 1894 at newspapers.com but I don't have a subscription.

[jimmain]

I appreciate this new information after so many years.
James Main was my first cousin, 4x removed!
Our most ancient ancestor was John Main of Ballochney.
I have some deeds written in Old Scots that may possibly move our line back another generation or two. I'm working on that project at the moment.

[jimmain]

The names Herschel & Nichol.
I was intrigued to read about the naming of his children so researched this further.
Uranus was the first planet found with the aid of a telescope. It was discovered in 1781 by astronomer William Herschel. He tried unsuccessfully to name his discovery Georgium Sidus after King George III. Instead, the planet was named for Uranus, the Greek god of the sky. In France, where reference to the British king was to be avoided if possible, the planet was known as "Herschel" until the name "Uranus" was universally adopted.
John Pringle Nichol was a Scottish educator, phrenologist, astronomer and economist who did much to popularize astronomy in a manner that appealed to nineteenth century tastes.
Apparently, hence the names Herschel & Nichol!